For Parents/Guardians

  • Safety reminder

    Drivers may not make a left-hand turn to enter the school campus via Garden Springs Drive between 7 and 7:45 a.m. or 2:15 to 3 p.m.

    Attendance

    Please inform the school if your child will be absent. Call 381-3388 between 7:15 and 8 a.m. the morning of your child's absence. If no one answers, please leave a message.  If your child is absent and we have not heard from you, you will receive an automated phone call from FCPS stating that your child is absent. If this is an error, please call the school.

    All students are expected to attend school regularly. Students who are absent must have a legitimate excuse. Within three days of a student's return to school, the child should present a note signed by a parent/guardian. Even if you call to inform the school of your child's absence, you must still send in a note within three days. 

    Absences without a note are unexcused, and the child may not make up the missed work for credit.  

    Excused absences

    So what counts for an excused absence or tardy?

    • Death of immediate family member
    • Student illness -- Families may submit a total of 10 notes per school year. After 10 cumulative absences, students must present a written statement from a medical professional for each additional absence in order to be excused.
    • Religious holidays and practices
    • Medical and dental appointments
    • Family emergencies -- limited to three per school year, as approved by the principal

    Note: Family vacations and trips are not excused absences unless you complete the Education Enhancement process and are pre-approved. 

    Arrival and dismissal

    Class instruction begin at 7:45 a.m. for all students. The bell rings to indicate class has started. Please make sure your child has time to reach his class before 7:45. The earliest your child can enter the building is 7:15 a.m.  Be sure your child is on time for school.  Pupils who are tardy must check in through the principal's office, and parents are required to sign them in at the office.

    Students will be counted tardy if they arrive at school after 7:45 a.m.  If your child leaves before 2:35 p.m., it will be an early checkout and will also affect your child's attendance.  An explanation of excused tardies and early dismissals can be found in Section XV of the Student Code of Conduct.  Reasons other than the ones listed will be considered unexcused.  Please help us by having your child at school on time and not picking children up before 2:35 p.m. unless it is absolutely necessary.

    Dismissal is at 2:35 p.m. If your child is a walker, they will be dismissed after the buses. Car riders will be dismissed in the rear of the building after bus riders.  Walkers will be dismissed by grade level and staff will escort all walkers to the street with the traffic guard. If you wish to walk home with your child, please wait for your child across the street. If you child has an appointment, please check  your child(ren) out before 2:15 p.m. so that we are able to dismiss and monitor the safety of all students. If it is necessary for your child to be at school later than 2:45 p.m., please consider the GSE after-school program, Coach's Club.

    Buses

    Students who regularly ride the school bus will be receiving a brochure covering school bus rider regulations.  Please review this brochure with your student, then sign the back page and return it to the student's bus driver as soon as possible. Only in cases of emergency may a child ride another bus; a bus permit may be obtained from the office. Meetings of Scouts and Brownies, piano lessons, parties, visiting friends, etc. are not emergencies. 

    Transportation

    If your child will be going home a different way, please email or fax us with the change. Emails will only be accepted during an emergency and should go to the child's teacher and to these front-office staff:

    Cafeteria

    A hot lunch will be served each day in the cafeteria.  A directive from the FCPS Child Nutrition Department requests that fast food lunches such as McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, etc., not be brought to students as it causes disruption and equity concerns with the other students.

    Students have a lunch number for use when purchasing lunch.  All students will use a lunch number regardless of paying status, i.e., free, reduced, or full pay.  While students still have the option of paying as they go through the line, we recommend making regular deposits in your child's lunch account to avoid charges.  The cost of a lunch is $2.50 per day.  A drink is included with each hot lunch, however your child may purchase an extra drink with their lunch.  In addition, Garden Springs offers a breakfast program from 7:15-7:40 a.m.  The cost for breakfast is $1.35 and can also be deducted from the student's account in the cafeteria.  All checks for lunch, extra milk, etc., should be made payable to Garden Springs School Cafeteria.

    Students are encouraged to pay in advance for food purchases.  Any student who forgets or loses their money may charge a maximum of two breakfasts and two lunches.  If payment for charges is not received the next school day, a nutritious snack, but not a full meal, will be provided to the student.  If you have questions regarding the lunch policy, you may contact the cafeteria manager.

    ClassDojo

    Be sure to register a parent/guardian account for ClassDojo so you can stay in the loop! Message your child's teacher, check what is going on in class, keep track of your child's behavior points, see the homework for the night -- all of this and more can be seen on ClassDojo.

    Conferences

    Parent-teacher conferences should be scheduled in advance after school, before school, during a teacher's planning time, or on designated conference days.  Teachers will not be available for conferences while classes are in session unless it is scheduled during their planning period.

    Medicine

    We cannot give out over-the-counter medicine to students. Also, in order to give your child medicine, we must have the correct forms filled out and the doctor's prescription on file. If you need these forms, please ask the school nurse.